ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's a day that has been years in the making.
The Buffalo Bills held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday and officially opened the new Highmark Stadium, but the story of the new stadium really began more than a decade ago.
You can watch the full ceremony below and continue reading for a timeline of how we got here.
HOW WE GOT HERE
In September 2014, Terry and Kim Pegula purchased the Bills for about $1.4 billion, helping ensure the franchise would remain in Western New York for years to come.
Fast forward to March 2022, when New York State, Erie County, and the Bills announced a tentative agreement to build a new open-air stadium in Orchard Park. At the time, the project carried a price tag of just over $1 billion. Taxpayers would pay $850 million of that.
Just over a year later, in May 2023, final agreements were approved. The deal included a 30-year lease, cementing the Bills’ future in Western New York for decades and officially clearing the way for construction.
On June 5, 2023, shovels hit the dirt as officials gathered for the stadium's groundbreaking ceremony. Construction quickly ramped up. By January 2024, project leaders marked the start of major structural steel work. More than 800 workers had already contributed to the project - the largest in local history.
As construction picked up steam, so did the cost. In December 2024, the project's estimated price rose to approximately $2.1 billion, with the Pegulas responsible for covering all costs above that original public-private funding agreement.
In April 2025, another major milestone. Crews hoisted into place the final major structural steel beam, known as the "topping out" ceremony.
The 2025 season served as a farewell tour for the Bills' current home, which first opened in 1973.
And the Bills went out in style on January 4th – with a 35-8 blowout of the Jets.
And now, the moment Bills Mafia has been waiting for, the new Highmark Stadium, the only NFL stadium in New York State, is finally ready for its close-up.
WATCH: The road to Highmark Stadium: How the Buffalo Bills new home went from idea to reality
